Dancing and the Dreaming
by wikelia
Summary: Modern AU. Hiccup does not want to go back to where his father lives. Astrid does not want to get married. Reluctantly, they team up to start a wedding business called Dancing and the Dreaming. "What you're looking for, is in here." The first rule they've set...is that no matter what, they cannot fall in love.
1. Chapter 1

"Now, tonight, there won't just be dancing, there will be a competition!"

Cheers and groans resounded across the room and Astrid smirked. If people didn't wanna do it, they could sit it out, of course, but the fact that there were more cheers made her more happy than she cared to admit. It was all about the presentation, it was all about the feel of her words. If she had said it in a dull manner, either people wouldn't hear her or they would pretend they didn't. And that was not something to be desired in this business.

Well, almost business.

A sharp tap alerted her to her mother, who pointed at a young man.

"What do you think of him? Good looking?"

She scrutinized the boy quickly, looking him up and down in an obviously disdained manner. Her mother sighed at her obvious refusal, and Astrid knew what was to come.

"Sweet, he's from a good family -"

"It's not about the family, mom." She tossed her braid back and looked her mother square in the eye. "It's about men not wanting their wives to work after marriage." She surveyed the room, talking distractedly. "And I wanna have a good marriage before that happens."

Her mother left, sighing and mumbling something about insanity, but this was ignored as the girl spotted a familiar flop of brown hair near the food table. She narrowed her eyes and walked over.

"Hiccup Haddock?"

The boy looked up, a camera around his neck and a plate in his hand. He gave her a crooked grin. "Astrid Hofferson. To what do I owe the pleasure, milady?"

Astrid crossed her arms at her former college mate. They had never been friends, but her friend Ruffnut had been pursued by Snotlout and Fishlegs, two of his, so they had met, taking an instant dislike towards each other. He was a half flirt, as in it wasn't the kind that Snotlout had displayed towards Ruffnut (which was seriously rude at times) or the kind Fishlegs had (which was seriously barf-worthy at times) but it was still flirting, in his own way. He called her milady, and even though it was just to annoy her, she had to wonder how many girls had heard the same name.

"You're not on the guest list," she accused, pushing her bangs behind her ear, "and therefore -"

He gestured to the camera with his head. "I'm on the camera team, thank you very much. How would you know the guest list, anyway?"

"I'm helping the wedding coordinator."

The truth was that she had pestered the wedding coordinator to let her help, as she did with almost every wedding coordinator or planner she met, only waiting for one of them to finally hand everything over to her, but they never did. Every single one she had ever met had been extremely set on their job. It was something she admired greatly.

Hiccup snorted. "Sucks for whoever it is, then." His eyes lit up, as though he had just been waiting forever for someone to banter with.

She pointed a finger at him and snarled, "Stay out of my way, got it?"

"But of course." He gave her a mock bow and she huffed, unable to find a snappy retort for him. Turning around and walking away was her next resort, and Astrid did so happily.

* * *

Fun was really the only word to describe arguing with Astrid. She got worked up so easily, and that could only be seen as an advantage for him. He had not expected her to be here.

Of course, the camera team thing had been a lie. Hiccup had not exactly wanted to crash a wedding, it had been Snotlout's idea because the git didn't want to buy dinner. And hey, who was Hiccup to argue against free food? The camera was something Snotlout had given him in case anyone asked.

People started dancing, and Astrid was there too. Snotlout walked up to him, gaping.

"Is that Astrid?"

Smirking, Hiccup set his plate down before putting the camera up and recording her. She actually wasn't bad. And she didn't seem to get tired, either. Many people clapped along with the music as they cheered her on.

"Give the video to her tomorrow," his cousin suggested, putting his arm on Hiccup's shoulder, "I know which bus she takes back home. She'll be impressed."

"Why?"

"Cause, cuz, you may not be a virgin but you've never nailed a girl like that."

Hiccup scowled at him. "Snotlout, I don't wanna do _that_ to her. She's just fun to mess around with." He huffed. "Plus, what...nailing has taught me is that girls expect way too much afterwards. I don't want a relationship."

The stocky boy clapped his shoulder. "Alright. But still, show the video to her." He smirked. "Unles you're _sca-a-a-a-ared."_

That settled the matter quite quickly.

* * *

Hiccup slipped into the open seat without a second thought and tapped Astrid's shoulder. "Hey."

She turned to him with a smile, but it quickly became an expression of disgust. "Oh... _you_."

"Me," he confirmed with a grin. He held out the CD. "For you."

She took it with a frown, turning it over in her hands. "What is this?"

"You dancing yesterday. I was up all night editing it," he said proudly, pointing to the CD.

She growled, "If this some form of hitting on me -"

"It's not," the boy reassured her, putting his hands up in surrender, "I just wanted to give you the CD and make a new friend."

Astrid studied him carefully. "Alright. But seriously, don't even _try_ flirting with me. I don't like all this lovey dovey stuff. Dating is for suckers. _I_ wanna start a business." She took out a binder from her bag and gushed. "Wedding planning!"

The adoration on her face was seriously funny, but he held back his laughter. _It wasn't funny, it wasn't funny._

It was funny.

"Wedding planning?" he repeated incredulously, biting his lip to hold back laughter. "Why?"

"It's the best business ever! Look," she went on, pointing to random things in her binder, "if you're say...a doctor, then you mess up, then you're probably out. No one will trust you again. But…" She put a finger up. "People will always be having weddings. And they will be calling..." She held up the binder dramatically. "Dancing and the Dreaming! 'What you're looking for, is in here.'"

"There is no logic in that," Hiccup argued, closing her binder, "people will always be getting sick too. That's a terrible analogy."

"Oh, you're just jealous that I have a plan for the future." She crossed her arms. "Aren't you like, rich or something?"

"We could go out for coffee and I'll show you." He offered her a winning smile, holding back from insulting the cheesy name too.

The blonde looked as though she was considering it, but then shook her head and held it up as the bus stopped. "I have to go home right now. See you." She stood up and walked out, giving him one last wave.

* * *

Back in his apartment that he shared with Snotlout and Fishlegs - well, only Snotlout.

"You can't leave me here with him," the boy hissed to his chubby friend, "all he'll do is complain to me about how his band won't take off."

Fishlegs gave him an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Hiccup. But we don't all have a rich dad and bread making to fall back on when we can't get a job. This is an opportunity. We can't waste it."

Hiccup slumped. Snotlout wasn't home at the moment, or else he would have tried to get him to make Fishlegs stay too. Especially since he believed the two liked each other. But that was a story for a different time.

The door flew open.

"Hiccup!"

" _Dad?"_ he asked in disbelief as he was scooped up in a hug, and then repeated in a choked voice, " _Dad!"_

"Oh, yes. Sorry about that." The giant man set his son down, beaming at him. Fishlegs squeaked and went back to packing his clothes, faster this time. "Have you packed?"

"Packed?"

"Oh - you haven't? Hiccup, _honestly._ " He shook his head. "Didn't your mother tell you? I'm bringing you back."

" _What?"_ the boy all but shouted. "No way! I'm staying here!"

"Why? Do you have a shop here?" His father laughed at the ridiculous notion, and Hiccup scowled.

"Actually, a business. I…" He said it so quickly he might have believed himself. "A wedding planning business!"


	2. Chapter 2

Technically, Astrid _had_ sort of implied that she would meet up with Hiccup later.

Technically, she hadn't actually thought that the action would be carried out.

But yet, here they were. Both in a cafe, eating sandwiches, food that _he was paying for._ Hiccup Haddock could be a gentleman, apparently. Oh well, it wasn't like she knew him, most of her dislike had come from Snotlout. They _were_ cousins, after all. But apparently it wasn't just facial appearances that differentiated the two.

"So," Hiccup said, swallowing, "when are you starting this business of yours?"

She wiped her mouth with a napkin, not because it was messy, but because she didn't want to waste a perfectly good napkin. "Now. I mean, today. After this, I'm going to meet with someone."

He threw the wrap over his shoulder, tossing it in the garbage without looking. It was close, but Astrid still raised an eye; that seemed like the kind of cocky move _she_ would do.

"Oh, that's great. Now, what if…" He clapped his hands together. "What if I came with you?"

"What?"

He straightened in his seat. "What I mean is...see, I kinda...have a love for...wedding planning too…"

Astrid's brows furrowed. "When I mentioned it last time, you didn't say anything."

There was something very...wrong about this.

Hiccup's face suddenly crumpled into one of desperation and he put his hands together in a pleading motion. "Listen. If I don't start a business, my dad is gonna take me back home and then I'm gonna be trained up to make bread." The horror on his face was evident. "I...cannot...spend my life making bread."

Astrid snorted, then outright laughed at him, laughing harder at his offended face. "So...let me get this straight. You...wanna be my partner?"

"Yes, please." The boy nodded, seemingly relieved that she had caught on so quickly.

"No way." She stood up, brushing her hands on her shirt. "Sorry, but I don't do partners. Too risky."

He stood up too, the pleading look still on his face. "What risks?"

"Hello, the major one." She rolled her eyes. "I already told you that I don't do this lovey dovey stuff. If we're partners, we might fall in love, and the first of rule of business is that you cannot fall in love."

Hiccup gave her a bewildered look. "I'm talking about partnership. How the heck did you change the subject to love? I won't fall in love with you."

"Either way." Astrid stood up, shaking her head. "No."

Hiccup stood up, more frantic now. "Please. Okay, how about...uh, second in command?"

"No."

"Assistant?"

Astrid started walking.

"Helper? What do you have to lose?"

The blonde did not answer. She feared it might be too insulting.

* * *

"That's Mala," Astrid explained to him. Hiccup studied the woman a few feet away from them. He had tagged along with Astrid all the way to some big tent where a wedding was obviously about to take place.

Mala Wing was, according to her, one of the biggest people in the wedding planner business. She was literally the queen of the area, and Astrid admired her, if her gushing was anything to go by. Hiccup was ordered to stand at the side while she spoke to her. He did as she said, because at this point he was desperate for her to agree to work with him.

Still, the boy could not help but feel that she should wait until Mala wasn't surrounded by a dozen people.

"Ms. Wing? Ms. Wing!"

"Ma'am, the lights are here."

"Ms. Wing!"

"I'm thinking a mix of Thai and Chinese food, what do you think?"

"Ms. Wing, I'm a big fan!"

"Ms. Wing" waved her hand and two men grabbed Astrid's arms and started pulling her towards the entrance. At this point, Hiccup interfered, not that he helped much. Already, the blonde was kicking the men holding her, although they still had a tight grip on her.

A few feet away, Mala, impervious to the situation, answered her phone. After a few seconds of panicking when she received apparent bad news, she turned it off angrily and then looked straight at Hiccup.

"You! You there! I need a male worker to lift some stuff and whatnot."

This was a shocking turn, to say the least, and Astrid looked enraged, so he quickly called back, "Only if you hire both of us!"

"But I don't need a girl! I'm not looking to waste money."

"Then split the pay between us," he said confidently, "trust me, she's as strong as ten men."

They were hired.

 **Yeah, this is pretty dull, but the good stuff is coming next chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3

She was hired, and she was working with Mala Wing, so this was a heck of a good deal. Of course, it would not have happened without Hiccup, but that was besides the point, so that was what she told him when he pointed it out. Astrid didn't see the need for the uniform, why should they be dressed from head to toe in plain black, including a black cap, when Mala got to wear things from the most famous designers?

But she would not complain. This was where she wanted to do, so she told herself to suck it up. At least until the third day in.

"Gobber!"

The man in charge of the decorations stopped short in front of Astrid. He had been telling one of his men how to put a chandelier up. "Wha' is it, Hofferson?"

"Over there." She pointed to the wall where other men were working. "Those are roses hung up."

"So?"

" _So?_ " she asked incredulously. "The family specifically asked for lilies!"

"Well, I didn't ge' the money fer lilies," he growled, "so shut your trap and get back to work."

Astrid became even more agitated. "Mala -"

"Mala told us to put up roses, alright? They're cheaper! Now for heaven's sake, leave my men and me alone!"

And he turned around, leaving Astrid slightly shocked that her hero...was a cheater.

* * *

Hiccup fell.

This time, it actually wasn't his fault, though. He had been on the first run of a ladder when Astrid had come up behind him and let out a shriek of frustration.

It only stung a little.

"What happened to you?" he huffed.

"Mala's a cheater!" She crossed her arms, looking very irritated. "First, it was the flowers, and now I'm finding other things too! When I have a business, I won't cheat. Ever."

"There's a reason she's rich, you know," he said, still very peeved at her for making him fall.

"I don't care. It's someone's wedding! How can you cheat on something so important? Ugh!"

"That's why she drives such a fancy car!"

Maybe falling from the highest run was the preferable option compared to hearing exactly what was wrong with the world for a good ten minutes.

* * *

The roses still looked nice. True, she had overreacted, but at least the wedding hadn't turned out hideous. Astrid wouldn't mind them at her own wedding. If she ever got married, that is. Maybe she could plan her own wedding, she thought to herself amusedly.

A loud voice broke her out of her thoughts and she realized that the father of the bride was talking to her.

" _Where_ are the lilies?"

Astrid's brows furrowed. "Sir -"

"Don't sir me! _Where are the lilies?"_

She swallowed. People were now watching. Next to the man, Gobber stood with a passive face. He wasn't exactly helping her.

Mala walked up, Hiccup right behind her. The auburn haired boy gave her a strange glance that she couldn't make out. Maybe it was an apology?

Mala, on the other hand, was far from apologizing to anyone. "Sir, sir? What happened? Talk to me, please."

The man did so gladly. "The plan my daughter approved had lilies. You used roses. Where are the lilies?"

"Astrid!" Mala snapped, turning on her after seemingly arguing with herself for a while. "Where are the lilies?"

She gaped at the woman she had admired for a long time. This wasn't her fault! But she couldn't say so, because then she would probably be fired and her future could be affected.

"I...I…"

What _was_ she to say, then?

"I'm sorry, ma'am." Astrid hung her head, feeling her blood boil in rage. Directly in front of her, Gobber raised an eye, obviously impressed.

"It's because of morons like you that Mr. Randolph here has to suffer the embarrassment from his guests! You lazy idiot!"

"Hey!" Hiccup cut in sharply, holding a hand up. "That's enough."

"Hiccup, you stay out of this." Mala waved a hand at him.

Astrid looked at him, surprised. He was standing up for her. In fact, he looked downright angry on her behalf.

"I'll stay out. After this show, no one want to stay in. We both know who's fault this was, Mala." Hiccup glared at the taller woman before shaking his head and turning to Astrid. "You were right. Let's go."

"Morons," Mala hissed, "do you know who this is?"

"Yeah, yeah." Hiccup turned his glare on the man. "Randolph. Old army general. Big shot. Doesn't give any of you the right to talk to Astrid like she's scum."

Astrid looked at him with sith her gut clenching. He stood up for her. She probably drove him crazy, but he stood up for her. They were going to lose their jobs.

"Hiccup," she said quietly, "stop. This is bad. Think of the future."

"I am thinking of the future." His eyes bore into hers. "The future is Dancing and the Dreaming."

She stared at him intently, and they had another argument, only this time it was silent, and the blonde was sure she was losing.

"Hiccup. Astrid. Get back to work."

She was losing horribly.

"Now."

She lost.

Making sure Mala, Randolph, and Gobber could hear her, she spoke directly to Hiccup and extended her hand.

"Come on, partner."

Hiccup grinned and put his hand in hers. They were walking out when he turned around and yelped, "We'll return the uniforms later!" He took his hat and tossed it to the floor. "Make someone else wear that!"

Astrid tossed hers too, although with a lot more dignity. She looked Mala in the eye.

"See you in the market."

With the final word and a huge amount of satisfaction, Astrid turned around, her partner by her side, and walked out of the wedding.

 **Oh my gosh? I? Thought? That I had said this is based off a Bollywood movie called Band Baaja Baaraat. I definitely cannot take credit for it.**

 **Finally, a four day weekend and that means an update on something!**


	4. Chapter 4

Hiccup twirled the biscuit in his hand, determined not to eat it. Just looking at it made him want to throw up. Astrid had scarfed it down, no problem, but she probably ate biscuits like this for breakfast. Determined not to focus on the nausea, and instead on the nice old man in front of him, he tore his eyes away from the horrid, moldy biscuit.

"But, dear, please understand," the old man, whose name was Mr. Kintle, said, "usually, all the adults in the family gather and throw the wedding." He tried giving their card back to them. "What need do we have for a wedding planner?"

Hiccup nodded in understanding and stood up, but Astrid kept a firm grip on his arm and pulled him back down. "Sir, you just tell us what your usual budget is."

"About...five thousand dollars, I'd say."

 _Five thousand dollars?_ Where had Astrid dragged him to? Where was he, where weddings costed that little? He knew how much his parents' wedding had been - and he didn't even want to say it, because the number was so high in contrast. Well, the moldy biscuits should have warned him.

"Good." Astrid nodded firmly. "Sir, we'll do it in the same price. Now, let's talk _our_ price...it's not that high, sir…"

She was crazy. Nuts. Any other simile there was for one hundred percent loco.

"Good! Now, where will the wedding take place?"

"Where all the weddings take place, dear."

* * *

"Look at this." Hiccup spread his arms wide and said in a bitter tone, "the site of our first wedding."

Oh, he was always complaining. She had probably lifted more boxes for Mala than he had.

Complaining, yes, but the slight dent was that he wasn't exaggerating.

The "site" that Mr. Kintle had so graciously pointed out was the street next to his apartment. Down the street, kids were running around with dirt on their faces, a few people were watching her and Hiccup with mild interest from their windows and balconies above. It was a narrow lane, not much room for anything.

But the area next to it, a grassy yard which the kids probably played ball on, was a very nice place to sit. And the narrow street could be washed and turned into an entryway. All it would take to clean the place up was a hose and some volunteers. It was absolutely perfect.

All this Astrid decided in the span of two seconds.

"Astrid, listen to me." Hiccup shook her shoulder. "Look at this! Why are we striking here? Why are we striking these guys? Let's go to bigshots, we're barely gonna make anything out of this!"

"No." She looked up; red would be a really nice color overhead, especially at night. "Listen, this is the first time we're doing this. No one who's big is gonna take us right now, and even if they did, there would be too much on the line if we messed up."

"But - but five thousand dollars!"

"Five thousand dollars, now that's the challenge." Astrid smirked at her partner; he needed motivation. "Well, c'mon, let's see how much your dad can invest in us."

He raised an eye at her, clearly getting her message. "Alright, you just keep watching."

She grinned and gave him a playful shove on the shoulder. "Site inspection. Let's go."

* * *

"Move!"

Water sprayed all over, and barely any of the kids moved, they went into the water and laughed. It wasn't until their parents threatened them did they listen, and even then, one child would still scurry across every five minutes.

Astrid went to a few kids who looked like they were in high school. The nice thing about a small community was that everyone knew each other, and the teens were more than happy to help their neighbor. When they learned they were cleaning up the entire street, they were less excited, but did the task nevertheless.

* * *

Astrid slammed her head on the table, but not before giving the brunet in front of her a reproachful look.

"Look," he insisted, "I can just feel it. Blue is their color."

"That...doesn't...matter!" she snapped, throwing her hands in the air. "The colors are theirs to choose and they chose gold and red!"

"But -"

"No!" Astrid stood up.

He gathered his papers and followed her, nudging her shoulder. "But _Astrid -_ "

"I will bludgeon you if you say blue one more time!"

A very small pause happened, and she sighed in relief.

"Blue blue blue blue - HOLY OUCH, ASTRID!"

* * *

"Is this all possible?" Mr. Kintle asked, eyes wide as he stared at their design.

"Of course it is!" Astrid gushed, pointing to herself and Hiccup. "You've got Dancing and the Dreaming. What you're looking for...is in here!"

As Mr. Kintle and his wife politely nodded and pretended like they hadn't already heard Astrid say this one billion times, Hiccup smiled.

If she wasn't so enthusiastic, then he might not have been here with her right now.

* * *

Logs were not something the Hiccup associated with weddings, but when you were actually designing a hall, he supposed it would come up sooner or later. At first it looked terrible, and he did not shy away from telling Astrid so.

But then the red drape came.

That really set it off. It still looked very plain, and he knew they weren't done yet, but at least it didn't look like a bunch of branches standing in random different places.

The extra cloth was put in inventory.

* * *

The yellow mustache did not put her completely off, but it did make her automatically defensive. Turning to Hiccup, she asked, "Did you get him?"

He shrugged. "Yeah. Why, some problem?"

No chance for her to say that _of course_ there was a problem, because then Gobber walked upto them. "Congratulations fer gettin' to do yer own weddin'. We're here to help."

"Gobber," she said quietly, "our budget is very small."

The man studied her. "But you're quite big, aren't you?" He smiled. "Last time, that was mine and Mala's fault. Yet ya took the blame. At least until he stepped in." He nodded to Hiccup and clapped his hands. "Now, what's for food?"

"Oh, that old caterer down on Elm Street," Hiccup provided.

Gobber sighed. "Listen to me. All these light and decorations, they're all going to be forgotten. Why do most people come to a wedding?' He stared at them, and when they didn't respond right away, he made a loud exasperated sound. " _Food_ , you two. Now, that caterer, I know him. He's gonna charge ya a lot and give ya garbage." He took out a card. "Mulch an' Bucket. Friends of mine. They run a restaurant, an' they'll give ya much more with a better price."

"We can't take that risk with a first timer," Hiccup protested, shaking his head.

Gobber stared him straight in the eye. "Aren't you a first timer too?"

There was silence, and then Astrid put a hand on Hiccup's arm, and took the card from Gobber's hand.

* * *

"Oh wow," Astrid breathed softly. Next to her, Hiccup stopped in his tracks and gaped.

The pair had left for lunch, and had only taken a short break while the decorators got to work. But it seemed like this much should have taken half a year, not half an hour.

The place basically shone with gems from overhead. They were all gold, and they fit so well with the red drapery. In the middle, a golden chandelier hung down.

It had been their design, but the two wedding planners were still the ones who were most blown away.

(At least until the bride got there. No one would be able to use their ears for a while).

They helped with the finishing touches and the lights. In a few minutes, most of it was set up. Astrid then caught Hiccup and a worker connecting the wire to another house. "What are you doing?"

"Well, should I connect it to your house?" Hiccup snarked back. "A generator will cost too much."

Astrid glared at him. "I don't care how much it costs. There will be no cheating in Dancing and the Dreaming." She looked up at the worker. "Cut the line, or I'll cut your check."

* * *

It was the day of the wedding, and if anyone was nervous, it was Astrid. As soon as Hiccup picked her up (on this motorcycle that he called a Night Fury and she called a death trap), she started worrying about the schedule. What if it didn't work?

"Astrid," Hiccup said, and she could tell he was trying to be patient with her, "we had a rehearsal. We _know_ the schedule works."

"Yeah, but what if it's different on the actual wedding?"

"It's the same schedule! Why would it be different!?"

" _Watch the road! We can't die today!"_

* * *

Hiccup didn't know how they had turned that mangy street into, well, this masterpiece he was looking at, but he did have a sense to feel accomplished. It didn't last long at all. At least not just yet.

"Something's missing," he told Astrid urgently, "I don't know what, but something is."

Gobber, who was standing with them next to the entrance, snorted. "You've turned the place into a palace, what more do you want?" He didn't wait for an answer (and neither Hiccup or Astrid were surprised by this anymore) and went in, still shaking his head and saying something about perfectionists.

"DJ," Hiccup realized out loud, "Astrid, we don't have any music!"

She bit her lip, seemingly agreeing, or so he thought. "We can't afford a DJ, especially not on such a short notice. Almost everyone is here, anyway."

Hiccup scowled. He had worked hard for this wedding, and he couldn't believe they had overlooked something so important. "Give me your phone."

"Why?" She gave it to him, looking over his shoulder curiously.

"I'm getting reinforcements," he mumbled, dialing the number from memory.

Astrid gripped his arm tightly. "Are you getting Snotlout's band here!?"

"I just -"

"Astrid!"

"Mom, dad!" Astrid released her grip on him and hugged them. "Oh, this is Hiccup Haddock, my partner."

There was an exchange of hello's and then she ushered her parents in before her mom got her engaged to Hiccup by accident or something. At least that was what Hiccup thought, based on what he had heard about her parents. Disastrous.

"Hey, Snotlout. Yeah, listen, I got a show for you…"

* * *

"No way, dude." Snotlout crossed his arms, looking around. "Not my scene."

"Come on, it'll be your first live show!" Hiccup nervously looked over his shoulder to make sure Astrid wasn't watching. "You'll be famous!" And to really sell the deal, he added, "Not to mention you'll have free food."

So the band started playing. They were actually quite good, but no one was paying much attention. No one was dancing. Hiccup saw Astrid frowning at it all. And then he remembered...wasn't she a good dancer?

* * *

The music was pretty dull, and Astrid was getting desperate. Why had she agreed to this? It was better to have no music than music that no one liked.

She looked to the dance floor. First, she thought what she was seeing was a hallucination. But no, Hiccup was there, dancing to the upbeat song. He came up to her, took her hand, and spun her around.

He wasn't bad.

And of course, people followed their example. It became a game between the bride's side and the groom's side, but honestly, Astrid thought the winners were the planners' side.

* * *

"We did it," Hiccup murmured, sighing and leaning back into his chair. His bright green eyes surveyed the area in front of him. "Astrid, we did it. And it was great."

She smiled, humming in agreement. "Hey, nice work."

Hiccup smirked. "Not bad yourself, Hofferson."

Astrid laughed. She reached out and squeezed his hand lightly before standing up and saying goodbye. Her parents were leaving, and she'd be going back home with them, of course.

One last look of her - of _their_ \- amazing work wouldn't hurt.

 **Argh, guys, I'm really sorry. I had the PSAT yesterday, and I barely have time to write on the weekands, and even Study Hall, when I do write, is unreliable a lot of the time. I'm sorry :(**


	5. Chapter 5

The shop took a lot of time to set up. The place had been some expanded janitor's closet before, by the looks of it, so it had to be completely cleaned out first.

Snotlout, for his part, had a tear in his eye when Hiccup told him he was moving out, but aggressively brushed it away and told him he didn't care anyway. Hiccup almost felt bad, but then Snotlout picked his nose and rubbed his finger on the wall, and suddenly all guilt was gone.

It wasn't as though his living conditions were going to be glamorous, after all. It was the upstairs room of the shop they had bought using the money they had gotten from their first wedding and from his dad. Stoick Haddock had been so excited that his son was doing something that his wallet was open before Hiccup had even explained why they needed it.

Astrid was being bossy as usual, she was ordering the deliverers where to put the desks, one for both of them. Those were not new, they had been given to them by Astrid's aunt. Still usable.

And then his bed came. Astrid was coughing as it was brought up, and Hiccup whacked her on the back until she whacked him on the arm. They put the bed in the corner together (Astrid had screamed at the worker that he was completely incompetent, and now the poor man could say the same about his ears) and Hiccup collapsed onto it dramatically.

Astrid threw a pillow at his face, which he retaliated, and soon the two adults were indulged in a pillow fight that ended with her straddling him with a pillow on his face.

"Doth you accepteth your defeat?"

No, he didn't. Hiccup pushed her shoulders and sent them toppling the other way. "First off, boo to your Shakespeare. I don't even think you said it right. And second," he snarked, "No."

Astrid kneed him in the gut and he yelped. When the pair came downstairs, she was looking very smug and he was pouting. Astrid's parents noted this but didn't say anything, because they were so used to seeing their daughter smug that it wasn't a big deal anymore.

"Ready to go, Astrid?" Her father ruffled her hair proudly, looking around at the shop.

"One sec."

The last touch wasn't the sign outside, but the sign inside. It was a small little billboard type sign that said, "Dancing and the Dreaming," but what made it special was that it had neon lights flashing on the sides.

That and Hiccup had made it.

Hiccup and Astrid grinned at each other, and then shook hands. Partnership had been a brilliant idea.

* * *

Astrid quickly got worried when no one showed up for a few days. She did not want to be a one hit wonder, completely forgotten in a few days.

Hiccup helped. He made tea for both of them everyday, and they talked to fill the silence. Their spare time was left to tidying up the shop as much as they could, although Astrid thought it would never be finished. And that was normal, she supposed - perfection wasn't a real thing but it wouldn't hurt to try.

Finally, a month later, a family came into their shop.

They got the wedding pretty easily enough. Astrid and Hiccup started right away, planning the design after doing a site inspection. It was much more open, and the budget, thankfully, was much bigger.

* * *

Of course, that wasn't the end. More deals came, more weddings were done. Hiccup found the next few months pass by in a blur.

Sometimes, Astrid would have to stay the night in the shop. Since the bed was literally the only place to sleep, they had to share. Hiccup had thought it would be awkward, but luckily, Astrid was cool about it. They stayed up late watching movies (and then debating about the topics in them).

What had started out as a lie grew into something more. Hiccup loved this work. He saw why Astrid was so into it - seeing how happy a bride and groom were was satisfying beyond belief. And there was so much variety. No two weddings were the same. He would never be bored. He loved it.

Two years, a solid two years with success galore, went by. While Hiccup still loved his job, he knew that doing wedding for the lower class would never get them anywhere.

It was time to hit the big people.

Now all he had to do was convince Astrid.

 **Please don't kill me. Life has been so hectic, and I had another writing project (and now I have to write a short story for my Creative Writing class *sighs*) so I couldn't update this or DON or IKYWT. Then I had to go somewhere during the break. Hopefully, my writing schedule can go back to normal now.**

 **The Hiccstrid in this story is ridiculously slow, I know. Few more chapters, guys, I promise.**


	6. Chapter 6

Astrid stood with her hands on her hips, yelling on her phone. Hiccup sat behind her, amused, and then stood up, deciding that both she and whoever she was yelling at deserved a break. He snatched her phone and hung up.

"Hey!" Astrid glared, taking her phone back. "Don't touch my things."

"You touch mine all the time. Now eat."

He didn't miss her teasing glance over the obvious fuss. Astrid settled down in a comfortable chair to eat the spaghetti he bought. Behind them, some workers were setting up the stage of the hall.

Hiccup took a deep breath. It was time to ask about going bigger. He watched Astrid eat, and decided to start low. "So...two years gone and done. What's the plan for the future?"

"Three more years," Astrid said with her mouth full. She swallowed, and went on. "Then marriage, and maybe a kid. I'm definitely not marrying some creep who won't let me work. My parents and I have a deal."

Hiccup stared at her flatly. "Mrs. Hofferson, I meant the future of Dancing and the Dreaming."

"...Oh."

"When are we making the high jump?"

Astrid looked exasperated. "I told you, not yet. We still have a long way to go. Pass me the sauce."

He whined childishly, crossing his arms and pouting. Astrid laughed, taking a full bite of the spaghetti a few seconds, he decided to stop and asked her a serious question.

"You're going to do an arranged marriage?"

"Why wouldn't I?" she replied, swallowing. "Hiccup, you know me well enough. I'm not into this lovey dovey stuff. I'm fine with letting my parents choose him, just not yet."

Hiccup scoffed, pushing his plate back. "You don't need to deal with that lovey dovey stuff anyway. Nobody's gonna fall in love with you, they don't wanna break their bones." He laughed at his own joke, and put his feet up on the table. Astrid knocked them off with a laugh.

"Oh, yeah? Who stayed up late making a video of me dancing?" she challenged, raising an eye.

"But you ruined the entire romance," he sighed dramatically, "I was left wondering if this was a girl or a viking."

"Oi!" Astrid threw her pencil in his lap. "If not for this viking, you would be working in a bread shop with you father for the rest of your life, not devouring spaghetti. You needed me."

He stuck his tongue out at her, although a grin spread across his face. Bantering with Astrid was really fun. Maybe even more fun when she was happy about it and not truly mad. "Hey. If it wasn't for me, Dancing and the Dreaming would never had happened. You would still be running around in circles for Mala."

He said this as she was drinking her soda, and Astrid laughed, and then moaned in pain and held her nose. She was still laughing, though. Hiccup's grin widened.

"Say it. Say you needed me."

"Shove off," Astrid mumbled, standing up, "and give me my phone. I have to call the groom. He's going back on the price we agreed on."

"And so will most people. Until we jump high and do what businesses are supposed to do."

Astrid glared at him, tsking. "Again with the high jump! How would we even do it? Where would we get the contacts?"

"Would you just say yes?" Hiccup asked, standing up and holding up his phone.

She looked at it for a second, and then huffed. "Yes. Now what?"

He mentally did a cheer, and smirked at her. "How do you feel about a fancy dinner tonight? My treat, of course, milady."


	7. Chapter 7

The Mission Impossible theme would be in order, Astrid thought wryly, as she sat in the restaurant. This may have been the most dramatic thing she had ever done. Since she had met Hiccup, she had been doing a lot of dramatic things. She had to ask him if he was in theatre during school.

Two tables away from them, Mala Wing was talking to a young couple. Hiccup leaned in, making sure the menu was hiding his face, and hissed, "I can't hear them. What scam is she offering?"

"Doesn't matter," Astrid whispered back, "so long as we offer something better - and not a scam."

The couple and Mala rose, shaking each other's hands right before they began to leave. Sharing alarmed looks and shouting a quick word to the waiter that they'd be back for their food, the young planners followed them.

"Mr. Potter!" Astrid called, and the young black haired man turned and furrowed his brows at her. The young woman next to him looked equally startled as Hiccup shook her hand eagerly.

"I'm sorry," she said, exchanging a glance with her fiancee, "I don't think we've met before?"

Hiccup grinned, and Astrid pleaded to the gods he wouldn't say it, but the gods must not have heard her. "No in real life, but yes on Facebook - ow," he hissed lightly when Astrid dug her elbow into his rib.

"We're Dancing and the Dreaming," she began, handing a business card to both of them, "and we were very interested in planning your wedding."

"Oh," said the woman - Lily Evans was her name, "well, um..." She looked at the man.

James Potter was looking equally confused, and he murmured to her, "Should we call Sirius? I knew making a Facebook account was a bad idea." Then, straightening as though the planners in front of them hadn't heard, he spoke. "I'm sorry, but we're already making an agreement with Mala."

"What trap has she got you in?" Astrid asked, making sure they both saw her amused smile. All those marketing classes were paying off. "Classic, Elegant, or Romantic?"

It was Lily who answered, now with a hint of concern. "Classic. Why?"

It was a good thing they were looking at her, because Hiccup looked like he was going to start puking. She had told him to look reproachful, not constipated. Son of a half troll.

"Your wedding will be in shambles. Bad food, bad flowers, bad music." She stepped closer, remembering all their research. "Ms. Evans, you're a successful businesswoman, an amazing woman rights activist, and a bundle of energy." She turned to James, who was looking at Lily with dopey eyes as Astrid described her - would she ever look at someone like that? "And Mr. Potter, head of Potter Inc. You're a fun man who would hate a boring wedding, so why would you ever let someone like Mala plan it?"

Her face felt hot with adrenaline, and ever so lightly, she clenched one of her fists. Please say yes. This would be Dancing and the Dreaming's big break. This would be it. Please.

"Alright," James said finally, after him and Lily shared a wordless conversation, "you two did your research on us - I am impressed. But we don't know anything about you. Why are you better than Mala?"

He had definitely taken marketing classes as well. Challenge accepted. She looked at Hiccup, who nodded encouragingly, and thought hard about how much she loved doing what she did.

"Because...for us, your wedding isn't just a business deal." Her eyes softened and she took a deep breath. "Hiccup and I put our lives into this. We don't rest unless everything is perfect."

"And we don't cheat to get there," Hiccup added forcefully, and Astrid beamed at him.

There was another moment of silence, and her partner's finger brushed over her's right before he spoke again.

"Thank you for listening. We'll...we'll leave you alone now."

Panic bubbled in Astrid's chest as her and Hiccup began to walk away from the couple. "What are you doing?" she hissed, glancing back. "They didn't say yes!"

"We said all we had to say," He bit his lip. "And it would be weird if we turned around again."

"And what if they don't call us?"

"Then -"

"Hiccup Haddock! Astrid Hofferson!" a male voice called from behind. Astrid and Hiccup turned around simultaneously to see James holding their card.

Lily grinned hopefully. "Are you two free this Saturday?"

* * *

It took a lot more convincing for the couple's families, because they didn't want beginners handling the "wedding of the century", but with some buttering up, Hiccup and Astrid had a deal.

"To the wedding planners!" Gobber cheered, holding up a toast to the crew. Everyone cheered, taking a shot and Hiccup, with his arm around Astrid, felt elated.

They were going somewhere. They were becoming someone. They were about to become big.

What could possibly go wrong?

 **I am...really excited about the next chapter. Be worried.**


	8. Chapter 8

The day of the wedding came all too quickly for Hiccup's liking. It was a thrill, of course, to have such a fast paced event for once, but when the risks were so high...it was simply different from the usual hubbub of the weddings they used to do. There was less fun and more stress.

It was both nervousness and excitement that filled him watching the guests come in. Everything had to be perfect. It had to be.

Astrid looked a little pale, but otherwise she was her regular composed self and was greeting people as they came in, offering their card and such. He stood next to her, taking her hand and whispering, "Relax."

In normal circumstances, she would have told him that it was easier said than done, but today she just squeezed his hand and nodded.

Half an hour passed of this nervousness, and finally the bride was coming inside. It was at that very moment that a man's voice came into both planners' bluetooth phones.

"Sir? Ma'am? The confetti machine isn't working."

"What!?" Astrid all but shrieked, and they ran behind the altar, to see a man desperately trying to fix a machine. "Move, you idiot! Hiccup, I told you to check on it!"

Hiccup narrowed his eyes as he examined the box quickly. It was supposed to throw confetti as the bride and groom kissed, and this had to go off without a hitch.

James was saying his vows. Astrid's face grew desperate, and she shook the machine. When Lily started saying her own, the Hofferson looked ready to blow.

"Just give me a second," Hiccup muttered, toying with the wires. To be honest, he had not worked with this kind of machine before, but plugging it on then off would work, right?

"James Potter, do you take Lily Evans to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"Hiccup, hurry!"

"I do."

"I'm trying! Nothing's working!"

"Lily Evans, do you take James Potter to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"Stupid machine!"

"I do."

"Then, with the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now -"

"Ugh!"

" - kiss the bride."

Astrid gave the machine a kick in frustration and that was when it came to life, blowing confetti over the newly married couple. Hiccup and Astrid stared at each other in disbelief.

Somehow, it had worked. Luck was on their side.

* * *

The check was huge, to say the least. It was decided that fifteen percent would go to the company, and the rest would be split between Hiccup and Astrid.

She felt amazing. They had pulled off such a big and important wedding. They had danced, and ate and drank. Drank wine, to be specific.

Maybe that was why Hiccup's eyes were looking a lot more...gorgeous in the moonlight? It might have been the suit, although he wore a suit to every wedding they went to. Maybe it was the way he had made sure everything was perfect so she could relax. Maybe it was just him.

Whatever it was, he looked quite attractive in the moment and the romantic setting only helped.

After the wedding, Gobber, Snotlout, and his band all came to the office with beer and instruments and the party went on. After they were all sufficiently drunk, the others left, leaving her and Hiccup alone with half empty bottles and soft music.

Astrid swayed, nearly falling, and Hiccup caught her, mumbling softly. "We should get you to bed."

A very fuzzy area in her mind said he was right, but the better part said that it was ridiculous. "Mm, no, don't have to. Don't want to."

"Then what do you want to do?" he whispered, with his face suddenly very close to her own.

Astrid kissed him.

She didn't think about what this meant, or how she would feel in the morning, right now he just looked really good and his cologne was intoxicating.

Hiccup kissed her back.

They made their way to the bedroom upstairs in a daze, distractedly kissing each other as much as they could.

Clothes shed. Skin was felt. Groans were heard.

It wasn't the wine, Astrid was sure. It was definitely him and his stupid green eyes. And, lying there, content with his one arm over her shoulder, she was completely fine with it.

* * *

Hiccup lay awake as the blonde next to him slept, her hair loose against his chest.

Right now, all he could do was worry.

Business and love didn't mix. It was the first rule, and they had just broken it.

 **Yeah, they did the do.**


	9. Chapter 9

Astrid was gone when he woke up, but he could hear her in the office, rummaging around. He swallowed, laying his head back.

This was wrong. Really really wrong. They had...gods. Hiccup buried his face in his pillow. How were they going to function now that they had broken the rule?

Astrid and him had both been drunk, but that hadn't stopped him from feeling a whole lot, even when it was over and she was drifting off to sleep. Would she be mad? Would she expect them to have a relationship now? Stop the business? Would she kick him off Dancing and the Dreaming?

Hiccup enjoyed this line of work, he was ready to go big and go hard and make a name for himself and his partner. He couldn't do that if Astrid threw him off.

But then, how could she do that? She wouldn't be here without him, the company was theirs, not her's.

"Hiccup!" Astrid called from downstairs. "Hurry up and come downstairs, I've got tea!"

Hiccup sat up, alarmed.

Tea? Since when did Astrid make tea? He made tea. Tea was his thing. He made tea for them. She did not make tea because she wasn't the type to make tea. Astrid was the type to drink the tea he made. Because he was the tea maker.

He slowly trudged downstairs, his hair a mess, and she handed him a hot mug, looking bright. Hiccup had a horrible feeling in his stomach, just waiting for her to bring up their night.

But she didn't. She only continued to be sweet, and...bubbly, cursing a lot less than she usually did. Hiccup drank the tea - and inwardly gagged. How did you mess up putting milk and tea bags into water? Somehow Astrid had accomplished it.

She was watching so hopefully, though, that he forced himself to drink every drop, promising himself that he would make it up to his taste buds later. After they had both had breakfast, Astrid jubilantly told him she was going to go home for now, on their day off (they always took one after a wedding day). She said she'd see him tomorrow, and she told him to have fun.

No! No, this was wrong! This wasn't Astrid! This bubbly, cheery, smiley girl was not his partner! The blonde he knew was bossy, and she swore, and gave him a light punch before leaving him.

That Astrid was preferred. Hiccup was already regretting their sleeping together. Mistake, mistake, mistake.

He was simply drowning in self pity at the loss of Astrid's personality when there was a knock at the door.

"Please come tomorrow, shop's closed!" Hiccup called without turning around as he made better tea for himself.

"Even for me?" a familiar voice asked.

Hiccup turned around, and he smiled the first genuine smile he'd had all morning. "Fishlegs!"

They chatted as they drank tea inside the office. Fishlegs told him what he'd been doing in the company he'd joined, and Hiccup in turn told him about the woes of sleeping with your business partner.

"I don't understand." Fishlegs frowned. "What's the big deal? Just accept that you two did it and move on."

Hiccup groaned, his head falling back. "You don't get it. Astrid - I think she's thinking it's love."

"So what?"

"Love and business don't mix, Fish." He waved a hand. "Astrid was right. It's a rule that shouldn't be broken."

* * *

Mrs. Hofferson came into the view of Astrid's mirror that night, a smile on her face. "You've been so happy all day."

"Is that a problem?" she asked amusedly, brushing her hair thoroughly.

"Here, let me." Her mother began to brush her hair gently, kissing the top of her head. "It's definitely not a problem, especially with how much work you have. I was just curious."

Astrid hummed - while she definitely wasn't going to tell her marriage obsessed mom that she and Hiccup had slept together, it didn't hurt to say he was the cause of her good mood. "Oh, you know. Hiccup and I pulled off such a big wedding. He was fantastic about it. Really...really fantastic."

Her mother raised a brow. "So why all the sudden praise for Hiccup? You worked on that wedding very hardly too."

Astrid sighed lightly. Her mother was definitely going to suggest she marry the Haddock boy if she kept on going on about him. Although...a sneaky part in her mind asked her if it would be all that bad to marry Hiccup. He would let her work after marriage for sure. And they definitely liked each other - he hadn't been complaining when she kissed him.

She told herself to slow down. Marriage still wasn't something she wanted to do right now, no matter who it was. But maybe she could ask Hiccup on a date tomorrow? And maybe he'd say yes?

And maybe, from there, they could be a thing.

Avoiding her mother's questions by giving vague answers, Astrid finally got her to leave the bedroom, before collapsing on her bed and planning out how tomorrow would go.

She'd sit down at her desk, Hiccup would offer her tea, and she'd say yes but ask to talk to him first. And then pop the question about maybe getting coffee together. Yes, that was it. Blunt and straightforward. No more giggly, post-sex Astrid. Her tea was awful anyway, as her parents had told her.

There was a plan.

But the day went nothing like that.

For one thing, Hiccup wasn't there when she arrived. He had already left, leaving her a note saying he wanted to do an early site inspection.

Even when she got there, he seemed to be avoiding her. Astrid wasn't really hurt, but she was definitely confused. Even - even if he didn't want to talk about it, he didn't have to ignore her. She wasn't that horrid.

But Hiccup gave her the bare minimum of words the whole day, and that night, Astrid trudged home, much less happy than when she had left.

She promised herself that she would confront him tomorrow.


	10. Chapter 10

It was an awkward morning, and Astrid just couldn't focus on her work. She was supposed to be writing an email, telling someone Dancing and the Dreaming would be happy to take on their wedding. Instead, all she could think about was that Dancing and the Dreaming wasn't happy at all in the moment. Hiccup was sitting at his own computer desk, his shoulders tense.

"You know something, Hiccup?" she said, gazing at him determinedly.

"Hmm?" He just wasn't talking to her.

"I made tea for my parents yesterday." She sat up straight in her chair, and her statement made him look at her in confusion. Finally. "They took one sip and told me, 'Astrid, you should never make tea again in your life.'" His lips quirked slightly in amusement. "But you?"

Hiccup's brows furrowed. "What about me?"

"You drank my horrible tea without a single word of complaint." She shook her head. "Not a word. What, did you think you'd hurt my itty bitty feelings?"

He didn't say anything, only looked guilty as he turned his head back to his computer.

"I'm not hurt!" Astrid insisted, throwing her hands in the air. "I'm just confused! We haven't even spoken properly since -"

"Since what?" he asked with gritted teeth, closing his eyes.

Oh, hell no, he was not going to pretend like it never happened. He had enjoyed himself, and so had she. He didn't need to treat her so daintily. "You know what! We slept together! I'm not like other girls, Hiccup, I don't need to be treated daintily. It's okay."

Maybe now he'd finally ask her out.

One of his eyes cracked open, and then the other, and after a few seconds, Hiccup let out a long relieved sigh. "Thor, Astrid, you scared me. I - I thought you thought it meant a long life of marriage and kids and whatever."

Astrid laughed softly, and he rolled his chair right next to her, his familiar grin back in place.

"I was scared, I mean it! I thought, oh great, she's gonna start liking me when all we did was sleep together. You're absolutely right, you are not like other girls. You're smart. It didn't mean anything, right?"

Something dropped in her stomach, and suddenly Astrid was hurt. Truly, deeply hurt. Didn't mean anything? That wasn't what she meant. Was that really how he felt about it? "R-right."

Hiccup kept grinning, unaware of how she felt. "Exactly. You were right, you know. Love and business - they don't mix at all. Excellent rule." He snapped his fingers. "I'm gonna make tea, something much better than your monstrosity of a drink." With that, he stood up and was off to the kitchen, and Astrid was staring at the empty chair spinning.

Her gaze fell on a short mirror next to her computer, and suddenly, Astrid was horribly mad at herself.

"You fool," she whispered, clenching her fists, "you idiot. You absolute idiot. You wanted that rule, didn't you? Love and business don't mix. You got it, good job."

There was a tear trickling down her cheek already, and furiously, Astrid wiped it off. If it didn't mean anything to Hiccup, then it shouldn't mean anything to her.

In fact, he shouldn't mean anything to her. Nothing. Not a potential boyfriend, not a friend. Not even a partner. It had been her business idea in the first place.

And so when her eyes were thoroughly dried up and Hiccup came back with two mugs of tea, Astrid resolved that that was how she would treat him from now on.

* * *

Something was still off, Hiccup thought. While it had been awkward inside the office yesterday, today it was tense. Astrid had snapped at him not to bother her when she was making a phone call. Something was off - but it must be a home thing. He didn't remember doing anything to her.

After the phone call was done, however, they had to discuss another wedding plan. Decor, to be specific. They were finally getting richer clients, which meant they had to switch their style up, at least a little bit.

But Astrid didn't think so.

"Absolutely not," she said firmly, when she saw his design. "That isn't Dancing and the Dreaming."

"Yes, but we're not doing our typical stuff," he insisted, and then began to point at a few things on the paper he printed, "look at this part of -"

"I said no!"

Hiccup turned to her in confusion at her sharp tone. She was actually mad, her lips were pursed, and her fists were clenched. "Hey, design is my department, so I do get final say."

She shook her head, not dropping the harsh gaze on her face. "No, we both get final say. Unless you've forgotten, this business is still technically mine."

She had not just said what he thought she said.

"Ours," he reminded, his voice getting a little louder.

"My idea," she spat out, shoving the paper towards him, "if you want to use that garbage, then go make your own business."

Astrid didn't even give him a chance to retort before she stood up and was out the door, calling someone, probably Gobber.

Now he was exasperated and a little irritated. Whatever was going on with her, she needed to get over. It wasn't going to help their work ethic if she didn't bother to listen to his ideas.

Dancing and the Dreaming rested on both of them, not just her.


	11. Chapter 11

The wedding was pulled off, but as Hiccup looked around, he didn't feel that right sense of accomplishment that he was supposed to.

As the vows were being said, Astrid was standing off to the side. She wasn't meeting his eyes, instead she looked directly at the bride and groom, her teeth gritted.

They had disagreed so much throughout the planning.

Hiccup wanted to put the blame on just the two of them entering new territory, but there was something wrong with their relationship too. Astrid wanted to argue about every little thing. She kept butting into his departments, kept asking for opinions only to shoot them down, and was generally always in a foul mood. She was being intolerable.

He really hoped that whatever was going on would stop soon.

After the couple said their "I Do's and kissed and everyone was happy, Hiccup and Astrid were brought to the bride's mother, who handed them a grand paycheck. The dancing begun, but then Hiccup noticed that there was a taxi pulling up, and Astrid broke away from the party to go. Hiccup followed, frowning.

"Ast!" He caught up to her and grabbed her hand. "Hey, where are you going?"

She snatched it back so fiercely Hiccup jerked back, and then she whipped around to stare at him with narrowed eyes. "I'm going home, not that it's any of your concern."

Hiccup was completely lost. Since when did Astrid call a taxi to go home? What was going on?

"Don't be stupid, I'll drive you, you don't have to go with him. Besides, the party's not over yet."

"I don't recall asking you to drive me," she hissed, clenching her fists. Hiccup took another step back. "Tomorrow, don't bother coming in to the office."

What the actual hell was she talking about? What was wrong with her?

"What do you mean, don't bother coming in?" Hiccup waved a hand. "You're the one who comes in. I live there, remember?"

"Alright, well pack your things and vacate the area. I'm done. This partnership is over. I can't have you jeopardizing my Dancing and the Dreaming."

"What?" Hiccup shouted, admittedly a little louder than he'd intended to. "Since when was it your Dancing and the Dreaming, Astrid?"

"Don't shout," she hissed, stepping closer to him as people close to them looked. "Dancing and the Dreaming was my idea -"

"My effort!"

" - And you'll be paid for that."

Hiccup's mind was racing. How, who did she think she was, kicking him off? Dancing and the Dreaming was their business. Together. They were supposed to be partners, and every wedding they had planned together had been great. They had climbed this ladder together, and he was not letting her push him off the rungs and start over.

"I swear, Astrid, I will take you to court."

"This isn't some divorce that needs to go to court, Haddock!" Astrid raised her voice, but it was the use of his surname that made him scowl even more. Haddock? That's what he was now? "I will make sure we divide the stuff. Now. Get. Lost."

"To hell with that," Hiccup hissed, leaning down, "why the hell are you ruining a great partnership?"

Astrid was silent for a few seconds as she swallowed and stared at him, and then she spat, "What was it you said? That it 'didn't mean anything', right?"

The puzzle pieces that had all been whirring in his mind suddenly fell into place in a neat, organized picture. Aha.

"Oh," Hiccup said quietly, clenching his fist as they continued to glare at each other. "Oh. So that's what this is about."

Astrid didn't say anything, and that only made him angrier. More than a year of work, of hard labor, was all going to go down the drain because she was hurt? She was the one who made the damn rule, she was the one who said she wasn't like other girls, she was the one who…

"It does take two people, you know." Hiccup was shaking lightly, staring her down. "You were the one who didn't wanna go to bed. You kissed me! You were the one pulling my arm upstairs and -"

"Shut up!"

"You know I'm right!" he shouted again. "You know it! This is so petty, Astrid!"

"I'm petty! Who was the one who practically begged to be my assistant?" She was tearing up, and guilt hit him at seeing her hurt like this, but he stood his ground. He had to, or she would kick him off. "Why don't you go back to your precious bread making business? You...you spoiled brat! Go and start another damn business! I'm sure your father will pay for the poor baby!"

If people were looking before, then they were certainly looking now. "Oh, that's what you think of me, huh? Someone who can't do anything without my father! You just effing watch, Astrid, my company is going to make millions more than your cruddy Dancing and the Dreaming. Screw you, and screw it all!"

Astrid was opening the taxi door furiously, getting in as Hiccup kept shouting. "To hell with your partnership!"

"To hell with you!" Astrid shrieked, slamming the door. Without so much as a glance, she was speeding away, and it took Gobber literally forcing him back inside for him to tear his eyes away from where she had been standing.

* * *

The shop was a mess the next day. Astrid wasn't saying a single thing to Hiccup, but the jerk hadn't emptied out his bedroom like she had told him to, so now he was tensely taking things out. A small crowd had gathered outside, because now that Dancing and the Dreaming had a name for itself, they were interested.

Outside, she heard someone ask what was going on, and Gobber dryly answered, "See for yourself."

He, Snotlout, and the rest of the band were not very happy that her and Hiccup were splitting up, but did no one think she could make this business successful by herself?

Hiccup was holding something out to give to the moving truck outside, and when Astrid saw what it was, she gasped, running out.

"Hey!" she yelled harshly. "That is not yours, it belongs to the company!"

In his hands was the small little neon lights billboard, and she saw his fingers tighten around it.

"I made it," he hissed.

"It belongs to the company. Ergo," she spat out, putting one hand on it, "not yours."

Something shifted in Hiccup's eyes - there was hurt for a millisecond, but then his gaze became steely. "Fine, you want it? Here, take it."

And with that, he smashed it on the ground next to them, and Astrid cried out as it shattered.

That sign had always been her favorite thing in their office. It was their symbol, their note, and it had been special to her. But maybe smashing it was for the best. After all, he had made it, and she was trying to get rid of him. Having no traces of his work would be the best for her and the company.

Holding her head high, Astrid spat, "Good riddance," and turned on her heel and into the shop, which looked as empty as she had been feeling since this mess had started.

 **A quick reminder, this plot is not mine. If you do have a problem with a character's actions, please contact the director and the writers of Band Baaja Baaraat (yes, I'm being sarcastic).**


End file.
